Car roof construction



Nov. 3, 1936. G, G GILHN 2,059,690

CAR ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l /A/ vwroe:

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Nov. 3, 1936. G. G. GILPIN CAR ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VEN we atented Nov. 3, I936 can poor coNs'rRUo'rro Application January 20, 1936, Serial No. 59,809

18 Claims.

' This invention relates to metal car roof con structions of the type wherein the roof sheets are disposed crosswise of the car and are connected along their adjacent margins by rigid upstanding seams having metal running board saddles rigidly secured thereto at the ridge. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical and efficient arrangement for rigidly securing the running board saddles to the roof seams. The invention consists in the construction, combinations and arrangements'oi parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts Wherever they occur,

Fig- 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car roof construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through one-half of the car roof on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical crosssection through one of the roof seams and running board saddles at the ridge on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a similar section through the roof seam intermediate between the ridge and the eaves of the roof on the line tl in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the running board saddle spaced above the roof seam.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a modified form of the invention,

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the modified running board saddle spaced above the roof seam, r

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating another modified form of the invention; 'and Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section on the line 99 in Fig. 8,

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is illustrated in connection with a metal car roof comprising roof sheets I that slope downwardly from ridge to the eaves of the car where they terminate in depending flanges 2 that are, riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to side plates 3. The roof sheets I are provided along their adjacent side margins with upstanding seam flanges 4 that have their upper edges substantially flush with one another and united together preferably by means of welds .5 of added metal that cover the joints between said flanges. A running board 6 extends longitudinally of the roof at the ridge and rests on and is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the lateral top flanges of angle shaped metal running board saddles I whose vertically disposed bottom flanges-are rigidly secured to the upstanding roof seams.

- As shown in sheet 1 of the drawings, adjacent seam flanges 4 of the roof sheets I are spaced apart, as at 8, in the region of the ridge and are (611. HIS-*5) united elsewhere by the welds ,5. I The running board saddles I have the lower portions of their vertical flanges extending into the spaces 8 be tween the seam flanges; and said saddles are provided at their lower corners with notches forming shoulders ii that extend beyond the ends of the spaces 8 and rest on the upper eadges of the cooperating seam flanges 4. The running board saddles are rigidly secured to the seams preferably by welds III of added metal that extend along the upper edges of the seam flanges and unite said edges to the vertical side faces of the, lower flanges of said saddles.

The car roof construction hereinbefore described has several important advantages. It provides a rigid and durable waterproof connection between the running board saddles and the roof seams; and it enables the saddles to be quickly and easily attached tothe roof and to be removed therefrom without disturbing the roof sheets. The shoulders at the ends of the running board saddles serve to transmit the vertical load to the tops of the seams, thereby relieving the welds that secure the sides of the saddles to the edges of the sheet flanges of such load. These shoulders also serve to position the running board saddles at the same level; they also hold the running board saddles in position while they are being welded to the seam flanges; and theyalso serve to cover the V-shaped spaces between the corresponding ends of the slots and the portions of the. saddles therein.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the flanges of the roof seam are shaped and arranged to form relatively short spaces or slots II that are spaced apart on opposite sides of the ridge; and the vertical flange of the running board saddle I3 is provided with longitudinally spaced depending lugs I4 that fit within the respective slots and are provided with shoulders I5 that rest on the upper edge portions of the contacting seam flanges at the ends of said slots. In this construction, the running board saddle is secured to the seam by welds I2 located in the angles between the sides of the saddle ,and the.

tops of the seam flanges and the lower portion of said saddle is cut away, as at I6, between-the Metal plates I9 are preferably secured by weldsv 20 to the loweredge of the running board saddle at the ends thereof .and extend on opposite sides of said saddle and. beyond the ends thereof.

These plates, when in contact with the undersides of the roof sheets serve to position the running board saddle vertically with respect to the seam; they also serve to prevent tilting of the saddle; and they also serve to close the lower ends of the V-shaped spaces between the corresponding ends of the saddle and the slot and thus prevent the weld metal from running down into the car.

What I claim is:

1. A car roof construction comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car, and metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions between and rigidly secured to certain sheets.

2. A car roof construction comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car and having upstanding flanges at their sides, and metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions between and rigidly secured to adjacent flanges of certain sheets.

3. A car roof construction comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions between certain sheets, and welds uniting said sheets to the portion of the running board saddle between them.

4. A car roof construction comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car and having flanges at their sides, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions between certain sheets, and welds uniting adjacent flanges to the portion of the running board saddle between them.

5. A car roof construction comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car and having flanges at their sides, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions between certain sheets, and welds uniting the edges of adjacent flanges to the side faces of the portion of the running board saddle between them.

6. A metal car roof having a series of openings therein disposed crosswise of the car at the ridge, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions in said openings, and welds uniting said running board saddles to said roof around said openings.

7. A metal car roof having a series of flanged openings therein disposed crosswise of the car at the ridge, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions in said openings, and welds uniting said running board saddles to said flanges.

8. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car with the adjacent side margins of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge, and running board saddles having lower portions extending into such spaces and united to the adjacent portions of the sheets.

9. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car with the adjacent side margins of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge, running board saddles having lower portions extending into such spaces, and welds uniting said saddles to the adjacent portions of the sheets.

10. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car with the adjacent side margins of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge and united elsewhere, running board saddles having lower portions extending into such spaces, and welds uniting said saddles to the adjacent portion of the sheet margins.

11. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car and having flanges along their adjacent margins with the flanges of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge and united elsewhere, running board saddles having lower portions disposed in such spaces, and welds uniting the edges of said flanges to the sides of the running board saddles between them.

12. A metal car roof having a series of openings therein disposed crosswise of the car at the ridge, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions in said openings, and welds uniting said running board saddles to said roof around said openings, said running board saddles having shoulders abutting against said roof.

13. A metal car roof having a series of flanged openings therein disposed crosswise of the car at the ridge, metal running board saddles disposed with their lower portions in said openings, and welds uniting said running board saddles to said flanges, said running board saddles having shoulders abutting against the edges of said flanges.

14. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car with the adjacent side margins of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge, said running board saddles having lower portions extending into such spaces and shoulders resting on the margins of the sheets, and welds uniting said saddles to the adjacent portions of the sheet margins.

15. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car and having upstanding flanges along their adjacent side margins with the flanges of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge, running board saddles having lower portions extending into such spaces and shoulders resting on the upper edges of the sheet flanges, and welds uniting said saddles to the adjacent portions of said sheet flanges.

16. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car and having upstanding flanges along their adjacent side margins with the flanges of some sheets shaped and arranged to form longitudinally spaced openings between said flanges in the region of the ridge and united elsewhere, running board saddles having longitudinally spaced depending lugs extending into said openings and shoulders resting on the upper edges of said flanges beyond the ends of said openings, and welds uniting said saddles to the adjacent upper edge portions of the sheet flanges along said openings, said running board saddles being spaced above said sheet flanges between the shoulders of adjacent lugs.

17. A car roof comprising metal roof sheets disposed crosswise of the car with the adjacent side margins of some sheets spaced apart in the region of the ridge, running board saddles having lower portions extending into such spaces and lateral extensions at the bottom thereof underlapping the marginal portion of a sheet, and

welds uniting said saddles to the adjacent portions of the sheet margins.

18. A running board saddle comprising a metal plate having notched lower corners forming overhanging shoulders at the ends of said saddle.

GARTH G. GILPIN. 

